Went to school today and had a date with friends from school, we went to the plaza that is a mile away from the school and visited some local shops.
Pavia is so different from Charlotte, North Carolina, you can walk down street and feel like you are in a village then you turn the corner, then you are walking on cobble stone streets with medieval buildings surrounding you.
I talked to my Dad and Mom this morning, they just said “Have a good time and be careful”, that’s the first.
If I asked my parents back home, Can I go out with my friends? I would get a hundred questions, Where are You Going? Who Are You Going With?
And most of the times the answer would be, No.
Can you believe I’m going out without having to ask my parents permission, well I got permission from my host family and its only for three hours?
We walked around a couple of clothing stores; the girls here like to dress up like they are going to prom and its only a small party. I’m a jean and a t-shirt type of girl, I mean my fit is cool but I’m not going to wear any heels.
Remember we left, right after school, so we are all in regular clothes that we went to school in.
Walked into a bookstore and looked, then it was a music store and then another clothing store.
We were exploring, well at least I was because they already knew these stores.
After hanging with them, I have to say no matter where you are at, a teenager is a teenager. We were laughing and just having a great time.
Now remember I’ve only been here like four weeks, so I am still new here and its my first time being with my classmates outside school.
It was dinner time and guess where we, well they decided to go, A Sushi Place.
Let me say this, I am a picky eater, and I never ate Sushi, I don’t like the smell or the look of it but what the heck, I’m with friends in a new land and maybe I can fake it and just take a nibble.
FYI, Italians eat dinner late like 8:00pm or later. Its True. And I am starving!
It was an all you can eat sushi place, they ordered so much sushi, I couldn’t tell you what type or what most had in them. I even saw a sushi roll with strawberries on top, I didn’t know there was such a thing.
Well, here was the moment of truth, grabbed my chop sticks because I knew how to work those because of my time in Korea, and I was feeling ok because there was rice, but sushi was new and as I said, I don’t like the look or smell.
I grabbed the first piece with my sticks, dipped it in soy sauce and with hesitation and eyes all on me, I put it in my mouth.
Not Bad! It wasn’t anything fishy or seafood but not bad at all. Of course, I was being told to try this one or that one.
I was like HOLD UP, baby steps here.
It was a time a laughter, it was funny. I got to be honest, I spitted out a couple pieces into my napkin but I did ok.
It was a time a laughter, it was funny. I got to be honest, I spitted out a couple pieces into my napkin but I did ok.
The point is, there are times when you are so against something, things you’ve never tried like a new dance, new food, new language or a new hobby, you just give it a chance.
You might not like everything, but you end up trying something that not only you can tolerate but LIKE.
Will sushi ever be in my top ten list of things I like to eat, HECK NO but I will be able to sit at a table with friends, laugh and talk about music or school, and eat a piece or two.
It took being over 4000 miles away from home for me to try something new, next time no matter where I am at, I’ll just try it even when it’s The First Time. (like sushi)
Buon Appetito!
Zoe